Sunday, 19 August 2012

Christmas Science

We
found out today what this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures will concern.
Further that BBC4 will show them. For the last I am extremely happy as I
otherwise nervously scan the bumper Radio Times in December hoping that they’ll
actually be shown at all. Because if they’re not to your mind a British
institution (they are, it’s in the name, but) then you are wrong. That was very
internet of me. For my next trick I will stay up all night scratching myself
with green bacon fat because someone I will never meet disagrees with me. With
multiple exclamation marks.

This year it’s chemistry. This year that
means blowing shit up. I’m all for science demonstrating stuff by blowing it
the shit up. If I had my way all science would be converned with blowing things
up, shit or otherwise. Probably not biology thinking about it, but that’s not a
real science. I did it at school. It was drawing. Science is about maths, which
is why I should probably not have seen eye-to-eye to it – especially physics,
but which because I had the same physics teacher for five years I enjoyed
heartily, all the maths aside. He was a very good teacher (which neatly brings
us back to the Christmas Lectures).

There is nothing wrong with taking
important subjects and covering them in a way in which children can understand
them. Hell, it means grown-ups can enjoy them because no one is an expert on
everything. Even that person who I will never meet who ruins all the bacon rind
in my house. No matter how many exclamation marks he uses.

My eldest had been watching them for the
last two years. Yes, initially it meant staying up after her bedtime but
firstly, it’s Christmas. And Christmas is a Big Thing in this house. And
secondly, seriously, the Christmas Lectures. She might not follow everything –
or not then at age six, but she learned enough. And wanted more. Which is great
because she’s convinced that I know everything (and I’m not always that great
on stuff normally covered by the Christmas Lectures).

So this year Dr. Peter Wothers is going
to blow stuff up.

And if he doesn’t, well that’s all right
too. Because I know that he’d like to really.

About Me

I write because as a fine author recently said, we have to. I write for work, each day - when I put in as best I can a working day for a narrative PBeM. That's been me for nearly fifteen years. I write an hour on other stuff for myself and typically just playing around - but like drawing, it relaxes me. And all this nowadays in bits, spits and biscuit crumbs what with the shining light of my better-half working and I then with the children around that. And I'm the better for it, even if work to be fair suffers a little for my refreshed sanity.
Now I also Blog because I've been told time and again that one needs a web presence, and I do this when the kids are down for the night and I in the next room wait to make sure.
And we love you.